PH Money Guide

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Author: JPM

  • REITs Philippines Guide: Everything You Need to Know (2025)

    REITs Philippines Guide: Everything You Need to Know (2025)

    REITs in the Philippines are a relatively new investment with the first REIT being listed in only 2020. However, since then, they have gained popularity with investors as a way to generate passive income and invest their hard-earned savings. This is the REITs Philippines Full Explainer & Guide.

    What are REITs?

    REIT really just stands for Real Estate Investment Trust. While that’s a bit complicated to digest, how they work is actually quite simple. Let’s break this down into five main features: 1) Invest in Real Estate 2) Investment Funds, 3) A Subsidiary (Mostly), 4) Dividend-Paying, 5) Different “Flavors.”

    REITS Invest in Real Estate

    This may be a little obvious, but you’re probably wondering what type of real estate? Well, the answer is really any, but the key feature is that the real estate has to be income-generating, which means they lease it out to other businesses (or individuals) to use the real estate.

    REITS Are Investment Funds

    This means that it gathers a lot of investments from different investors (usually in the form of cash). A REIT, then, takes this cash and invests it in real estate where investors can indirectly own the real estate.

    That’s a bit of an oversimplification, what’s more likely to happen is that a bigger company forms a REIT and then sells the shares of those REITs for cash to fund new operations. However, it has more or less the same effect.

    It’s important to note two things here: Firstly, you own the fund; not the real estate itself. That means you can’t go onsite and just start commanding people to do things for you. However, the lack of control also leads to the lack of hassle. Secondly, that means that there are fund managers that manage the real estate, which brings us to the second point.

    REITs are (Mostly) Subsidiaries

    While not strictly necessary, REITs are mostly subsidiaries. This means that they’re owned by a bigger company that helps manage their operations AND allows for new property acquisition. It is, thus, important to consider who is the main company behind a REIT and what potential properties can be bought by the REIT. For example, AREIT is backed by Ayala Land Inc., VREIT is backed by Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc., etc.

    REITs are Dividend Paying

    The most attractive feature of REITs is that they are required by law to pay out 90% of their net income from their properties. This means (nearly) everything they earn is simply paid out in cash to investors. This is why REITs are so attractive because they essentially provide the cashflow and benefits of real estate without any of the hassles of traditional real estate investments.

    REITs have Different “Flavors”

    The most attractive feature of REITs is that they are required by law to pay out 90% of their net income from their properties. This means (nearly) everything they earn is simply paid out in cash to investors. This is why REITs are so attractive because they essentially provide the cashflow and benefits of real estate without any of the hassles of traditional real estate investments.

    Below, for example, are some companies that deal with very different properties.

    REIT NameMain Properties
    Vista REIT (VREIT)Malls & Offices
    Citicore REIT (CREIT)Solar Farms & Leases to Solar Farms
    Ayala REIT (AREIT)Offices, Shopping Centers, Industrial Lots, Hotels
    Premiere Island Power REIT (PREIT)(For Power Companies) Land, Buildings, and Machinery

    None of these are recommendations, but more just to demonstrate the variety of REITs available here in the Philippines.

    Who are REITs for?

    Here, it would probably more useful to devise the risks and rewards of REITs:

    Rewards / ProsRisks / Cons
    Dividend-Paying – 90% of the income is paid out every year!No control – Puts you at risk of poor management & the whims of a big company
    Hassle-Free Real Estate – Provides access to real estate without any of the hasslesReal Estate Risks – No tenants, falling property prices, etc.
    Low Upfront Capital – You can invest in REITs for a couple thousand at a time, which makes it great for beginners.Share Dilution – It’s possible for companies to issue more shares than it makes sense (thereby, diluting your share).
    Liquid – This means that you can sell your REIT share at any time if you need it. Subject to Management Fee – The property manager also charges a fee for managing the properties
    Diversified Real Estate – You also get a lot of different properties with a lot different tenants compared to a single propertyAt risk of central bank interest rates – REITs both loan to buy properties and their value is directly tied to the interest rates. Generally, higher is worse for REIT prices and the loans they take on.
    Market Fluctuations – The prices of REITs aren’t guaranteed.

    To conclude, here are largely the category of investors REITs cater to.

    1. Need cashflow from their investments
    2. Want to invest in real estate without the hassle
    3. Want to invest in real estate without the large upfront capital (especially those of commercial and industrial properties).
    4. Need diversification for their portfolio.

    How can I buy REITs?

    REITs are as easy as buying any other stock, where you can find an in-depth guide here (from no account to buying stocks). Broadly speaking, though, here are the simplified steps!

    1. Open a stockbroker account online!
    2. (Additional Step for REITs) Give consent to your stockbroker to create an Name-on-Central Depository (NoCD) account!
    3. Buy the REIT as you would any other stock! Just be sure to enter the right stock ticker code.

    Alternatively, you can also invest in REIT investment funds (investment funds that invest in REITs) such as those offered by AXA and Manulife. Though, right now, there are no funds specifically dedicated to Philippine REITs (only a mix of different parts of the world like Asia or the US).

    REITs Philippines: The Best Investment?

    While REITs can be an amazing investment for average people, it also really depends on the type of investor someone is. Not everyone can handle the market fluctuations and some prefer having control. Others, however, prefer a passive investment or may be just be starting on the journey. In other words, it depends more on the investor than the investment.

    Whatever situation that may be, we hope that this guide on REITs Philippines sheds light on your investment journey and gives you more ideas on how to invest your hard-earned savings. Remember to save and invest regularly and consider all risks when investing!

  • How to Buy Stocks in Jollibee in COL Financial in 3 Detailed Steps

    How to Buy Stocks in Jollibee in COL Financial in 3 Detailed Steps

    Buying stocks in big companies can be a rewarding and essential experience to anyone’s personal finance journey. Did you know that you can actually buy stocks in Jollibee? Jollibee is the country’s most famous fast-food chain, but it also holds several other businesses. This article will teach you how to buy stocks in Jollibee using COL Financial.

    This article assumes that you already have an account open. If you don’t know how to do that, you can find the process out here.

    1) Log into your COL Financial Account

    First, you want to log-in to your COL Financial account given your ID and credentials. If you can’t find this (after opening your account), it’s probably in your e-mail. Be sure to check spam and your primary inbox for the e-mail.

    Then, once you land on the home page (as you can see above), you want to click “Trade” and then “Enter Order.” This will take you to the order screen.

    2) Enter in the Order

    This is what the order screen looks like. While it does look overwhelming, let’s break it down piece-by-piece.

    On the rightmost side, you’ll see the information panel about the stock. It’s too much to get into all of them here, but the most important is the “Last” which tells us what price the stock is at right now and the “Board Lot,” which tells us the minimum number of shares we need to buy and the multiple at which we buy it at. The board lot also tells us what’s the minimum amount we need.

    For example, Jollibee has a board lot of 10 which means we can only buy 10 shares of Jollibee at a time (we can’t buy 1 or 9 at a time). Its current price is PHP227.6 per share, which means we would need at least PHP2276.00 + Fees to buy the smallest amount of Jollibee.

    However, you’ll notice that prices don’t stay the same. This is what the middle part is for. On the Ask column, you’ll see what people are selling their stocks at, and on the Bid column, you’ll see what people are willing to pay for it.

    Referring to the chart above, on the ask column, you’ll notice that someone is selling 10 shares of Jollibee at a price of PHP 227.2; this means if you want to buy their shares, you have to pay PHP227.2 * 10 (PHP 2272.0) + fees. However, if you want to wait for a lower price, you can bid lower than that amount.

    Keep in mind though that 1) people who placed a higher price than you takes priority and 2) you need to wait for someone to sell to you the stock (which is not guaranteed).

    This is the most important part. The order details is basically how you input the order. The only things you need to know right now is about the Term, Stock Code, # of Shares, Price, and Net

    • Term – How long you want to bid for. In DAY, that means you order for the day, then the order cancels after the day you placed it. In GTC, this means you order for 60 days (waiting for 60 days) before the order is cancelled. In ATC, orders are sent during the “run-off” period (after 12pm) and are converted to DAY orders equivalent to the run-off price of a stock. Bottomline: if you want to buy right now, pick DAY or GTC and bid a price people are asking for.
    • Stock Code – This is the symbol for a stock (or better known as a stock ticker). Jollibee has JFC (for Jollibee Food Corporation).
    • # of Shares – This is the number of shares you want to buy. Remember to buy in multiples of the board lot.
    • Price – This is the price per share you’re willing to pay.
    • Net – This is the total amount you actually have to pay (fees included). This is calculated as (price * shares) + (fees)

    3) Wait for Order to Match

    When you’re entered an order, it doesn’t automatically mean that you buy the stock. The market first has to match your price. This means that if you set a buy price at PHP200, but the market is at PHP250, you’ll have to wait until it comes down to PHP200.

    Of course, if you want to buy a stock sooner, then you can set an order closer to the market price. However, this also means that you might have to pay more than what you wanted to. Remember: when you buy a stock, the lower the better (just like buying a car or a house).

    In the meantime, you can monitor your current orders in the View/Modify Order screen. This is especially helpful if you want to wait for a lower price using the GTC order.

  • How to Save Money as a Student Philippines: 3 Tips

    How to Save Money as a Student Philippines: 3 Tips

    How to save money as a student in the Philippines can be overcomplicated. With a limited income, limited time, and limited options, students often don’t know where to start and how to save. Well, here’s our 3 tips on how to save money as a student in the Philippines:

    1) Be Realistic about Savings

    One of the best advices I could probably give to students is simply to be realistic with saving money.

    Lower the expectations. Don’t expect yourself to become a millionaire or also save 90% of your allowance. At the end of the day, you’re still a student: you need experiences and you need to live life. Remember that there will be no other time in your life where you don’t have to worry about bills

    Adjust to the situation first. Aside from that, remember that you shouldn’t force yourself to make money where its more practical to focus on your education. Your education (and performance within it) will still determine the bulk of your income and your ability to save over the long run. So, adjust to your budget before anything else.

    Keep it simple. Don’t make your savings more complicated than it needs to be! Pick one way that you want to save then simply go with it. There’s no need to add some extra complications: in fact, the simpler the better.

    Keep the future in focus. In a study, people who saw a future version of themselves are more likely to accept delayed monetary reward. The last piece of being realistic is remembering that not everything also has to be enjoyed right now. Often, people forget to prepare for their own future largely because they don’t think about it. So, keep it in mind.

    2) Build the Habit, Not the Savings

    One of the most important things before you become a working professional is learning to put aside money regularly from your income, but here’s the truth: most people don’t build the habit when they’re young, so they don’t carry it when they’re older.

    When you’re young, one of the easiest things you can do is to start building up the habit. So, how do you build up the habit?

    Decide how much of your allowance you want to put away. Make a rule to yourself to put away a certain % of your allowance. For example, you can put aside 10% of everything you earn. This ensures that even when your allowance increases or decreases, you’re still going to put aside the savings regularly.

    Pay Yourself First. A common, but undoubtedly timeless piece of advice is to pay yourself first. Whenever you get your income, immediately put it in your bank account or even piggy bank. As opposed to spending first and then seeing what you can save afterwards, you should save first and then see what you can spend afterwards.

    Be Consistent. What matters about habits is that they are consistent. Above all else, consistently save and put aside money — when you get any form of income, put aside at least some of it. This ensures that you’re going to set yourself up not only for your financial future, but also psychologically with your approach to money.

    The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, but continues on the hundreds of steps after that.

    3) Learn, Learn, Learn!

    Education is the most important. The best investment you can make is always going to be in yourself. Education has some of the highest reliable returns financially. So, if you plan to spend your money on anything (aside from the typical enjoyment), focus it on your education above all else. This can look like online courses, but also just making sure you get to study properly.

    Learn more about financial literacy. One of the things you can do for yourself over the long run is going to be learning about different financial products. For example, you can learn about things like how to invest in stocks or the different ways of saving in the Philippines.

    Above all else, your learning is the equivalent to your future earning. Learning a lot (and of course, applying it) will lead to a lot of future earnings!

  • Pag-IBIG MP2 Average Dividend Rate

    Pag-IBIG MP2 Average Dividend Rate

    Pag-IBIG MP2 is one of the most popular savings vehicles in the country because of its high interest rates. The following is a table of the agency’s historical dividend or interest payments collected from various sources.

    YearInterest / Dividend Rate
    20247.10%
    20237.05%
    20227.03%
    20216.00%
    20206.12%
    20197.23%
    20187.41%
    20178.11%
    20167.43%
    20155.34%
    20144.69%
    20134.58%
    20124.67%
    20114.63%

    The 10-year Pag-IBIG MP2 average dividend rate stands at: 6.88%. The average since 2011 is 6.24%.

    References:

    [1] ABS-CBN. For 2011-2022

    [2] ANC. For 2023

    [3] GMA. For 2024

  • How to Invest in Stocks in the Philippines: 7 Easy Steps (2025)

    How to Invest in Stocks in the Philippines: 7 Easy Steps (2025)

    This is how to invest in stocks. Investing in stocks can be a rewarding experience that will prepare you better for your future. The following guide is a very quick and easy guide to opening stocks.

    1) Prepare Requirements for Stock Account Opening!

    To invest in stocks in the Philippines, you need the following (if you’re a Philippine citizen):

    1. One (1) Valid Primary Government ID (such as, but not limited to Passports, National ID)
    2. A Philippine Bank Account
    3. A Philippine Tax Identification Number (TIN) -> See how to get one here!
    4. Social Security System (SSS) Number / Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Number / Common Reference Number (CRN)
    5. Working Camera in your device (to take a selfie with your ID)

    For those who are not only Philippine citizens or not at all, there are additional requirements:

    1. For non-resident foreigners: 1 valid passport
    2. For resident-foreigners: 1 valid passport, ACR I-Card/SIRV/SRRV/ work permit from DOLE
    3. For dual citizens: 1 valid passport & dual citizenship papers
    4. For US persons: 1 US government-issued ID and accomplished W9 or W8-BEN IRS form

    2) Choose your online stock broker!

    A broker is basically a company that connects you to the rest of the stock market. There are lots of options for online brokers here in the Philippines. It’s really just up to you what you want, but here is a list of the most popular brokers.

    • COL Financial
      • Pros: Popular, Longstanding, Veteran Analysts, Low Minimum Deposit (PHP1000), Access to 70+ Mutual Funds
      • Cons: Not as user-friendly, No Mobile App (technically there is, but it’s hard to access).
    • DragonFi
      • Pros: Popular, User-Friendly, Low Minimum Deposit (PHP1000), Mobile App
      • Cons: Newest Broker, only has access to Manulife mutual funds
    • PhilStocks Financial
      • Pros: Testimonials from Clients, Longstanding, Mobile App
      • Cons: Not as user-friendly, Higher Minimum Deposit (PHP5000)

    Your bank will also likely have a broker. For example, BDO has BDO Securities, BPI has BPI trade. So, you can also open with them as that may be more convenient and incur less fees than.

    3) Register with your stock broker!

    Each broker has a different process, but as long as you have your requirements ready, you should be all good! Here are some tips to opening an account:

    1. Be sure to read the terms & conditions (your broker may have terms you don’t like)
    2. Be sure to follow the instructions as best as possible! It usually prevents a lot of headache of having to resubmit.
    3. Have your requirements ready and scanned clearly (you can use camscanner on the phone)
    4. Set a STRONG password and NEVER give it away! Many times people get “hacked” simply because their password was weak or they accidentally gave it to a scammer

    After that, all you have to do is wait for your broker to process your documents. Be sure to watch your e-mail!

    4) Fund your stock broker!

    Once the brokerEach broker will naturally have different ways of being funded, but usually, this involves going to the bills payment of your bank and typing in your account number. Below is a sample for COL Financial from GCash:

    Sometimes though, you need to use bank transfers like in the case of DragonFi. While we can’t cover all of them here, just check with your broker. They’ll definitely have a guide to cover for their specific situation.

    5) Choose your Investment Strategy!

    You’re on your way to becoming a real investor! Now, you may want to start researching and choose your investment strategy to buy stocks. As a beginner, you might want to look into:

    • Cost Averaging
    • Index Investing
    • Dividend Investing
    • Growth Investing
    • Value Investing

    While you can mix and match these strategies, it’s best to keep things simple when you start out. Remember that a lot of your returns still rely on the amount of money you can save rather than your investment returns.

    6) Place your Trade!

    Once your broker gets back to you, you can place your “trade.” This is where you actually buy stocks. While we can’t cover all brokers here, generally, here’s what you need:

    1. Stock Ticker Symbol: Symbol that represents the stock you want to buy. For example, Jollibee’s symbol is JFC, BDO is just BDO, SM is a little tricky: there’s SM Investments Corporation (SM), then there’s SM Prime Holdings (SMPH); just be sure to know the difference!
    2. Amount of Shares You Want to Buy: You have to keep in mind the “board lot.” Think of board lots as bundles, you can’t buy stocks separately you have to buy it in certain set bundles. Some stocks you’ll need to buy 5 at a time, others you’ll need to buy 100 at a time.*
    3. Cash to buy: Above all else, of course, you do need the cash to buy the actual stocks and the minimum amount according to the board lots.

    7) Investor ka na!

    After all that, you have just become an investor and you can take part in the success of large companies. As an old saying goes…

    The best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago. The second best time is today. – Chinese Proverb

    You’re making a serious and important step towards your future self — that one day, you may be more financially free, but to grow that tree of investing, you need to keep tending to that tree. Keep saving, be patient, and laban lang!